Shadowing Practice: English Podcast - How to Stop Comparing and Start Growing | 🎧 Intermediate - Learn English Speaking with Video
Creating lesson...
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Music Hey everyone, welcome back to English on the Go, the podcast where you learn everywhere and speak everywhere.
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I'm Brian and I'm really happy you're here.
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You know, in today's world, it's so easy to compare ourselves to others.
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We scroll through social media and see people who seem more successful happier, or further ahead.
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Sometimes it feels like everyone else is moving faster.
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and that can make us doubt our own progress.
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But the truth is, Everyone's journey is different.
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In today's episode, we're talking about how to stop comparing and start growing, how to focus on your progress, not someone else's highlight reel.
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We'll also explore natural English expressions and idioms you can use to describe motivation, effort and personal growth.
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Before we start, think about this.
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When was the last time you compared yourself to someone?
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And what's one small thing you've improved in your own life this year?
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Keep those questions in mind as we listen to our guests, Emma and Jack, who'll share how they learned to stop comparing, and started growing.
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All right, let's dive into the conversation.
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So, Emma, you look a bit lost in thought today.
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Everything alright?
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Honestly?
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I've been scrolling through Instagram again.
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Bad idea.
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Everyone's on vacation getting promoted getting engaged and me I'm just trying to finish my laundry and stay awake at work.
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Social media really does that.
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It turns everyone else's life into a movie trailer.
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All the exciting parts and none of the boring scenes.
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Exactly.
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It's like everyone's running ahead while I'm stuck at the starting line.
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Sometimes I start thinking, Maybe I'm not good enough.
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That feeling is so common.
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We call it the comparison trap, when we keep measuring ourselves against others and forget how far we've come.
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Yeah, I fell into that trap at work.
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My co -workers were buying new cars, posting about raises And I started trying to keep up with the Joneses, but it never made me happy.
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Same here.
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I saw a friend who started learning English after me.
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And now she's fluent.
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I felt like I could never measure up.
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You know what helps me?
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Remembering that the grass is greener on the other side only.
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because we're looking from far away.
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Up close, everyone has weeds to pull.
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That's a good one.
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You're right.
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People rarely show the full picture.
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It's weird, isn't it?
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We compare our everyday life with other people's highlights.
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Exactly.
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We see 10 seconds of their best day and compare it to our entire week,
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Everyone's story has struggles we can't see: stress, family issues, pressure.
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Yeah.
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One of my successful friends told me he's exhausted and hates his job.
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That really opened my eyes.
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So maybe the trick is to stop competing with others and start understanding ourselves.
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Absolutely.
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Everyone's path is different.
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Some run fast, some slow, some even take detours.
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The only real competition is the person you were yesterday.
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That's comforting.
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Maybe I just need to remember that my journey's not late.
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It's just mine.
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Perfect mindset, Emma.
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Once you stop comparing, you finally see how far you've already come.
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You know...
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Hearing you both talk reminds me of something personal.
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A few years ago, I constantly compared my lessons with other English teachers online.
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Their videos looked professional.
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their voices smoother, their followers ten times more.
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I felt invisible.
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Really?
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I'd never guess that.
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You sound so confident on the podcast.
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Confidence came later.
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For months, I tried copying their style. But...
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It didn't feel right.
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Then one day I realised I didn't need to be better than them, I just needed to be better than yesterday.
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That's when I decided to run my own race.
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That's such a powerful idea.
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My old football coach used to say, "Stop looking sideways, just run forward." Same thing, right?
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Exactly.
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When you stay in your lane, you make steady progress.
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The more you look around, the slower you go.
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That's true for learning English too.
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I used to compare my accent with native speakers and feel embarrassed.
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Now, I just focus on improving one thing at a time.
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vocabulary, pronunciation, or confidence.
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I started keeping a list of small victories, finished a tough report, didn't procrastinate today.
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Seeing that list grow gives me a real sense of progress.
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I love that.
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I keep a progress journal.
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Every Sunday, I write down three things I'm proud of.
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even tiny ones.
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It helps me see I'm moving forward.
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That's an excellent strategy.
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It's all about keeping your eyes on the prize, your own version of success, not someone else's.
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Right.
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My prize is peace of mind, feeling good about my work without comparing salaries or titles.
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Mine's confidence.
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When I notice how far I've come, I stop worrying about catching up to anyone else.
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That's the beauty of focusing on yourself.
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You grow quietly but deeply.
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And the funny thing is, when you stop comparing, people start noticing your progress.
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Maybe because we finally look happier, Exactly.
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Growth feels lighter when it's not a competition.
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Let's take a quick moment to review some of the idioms and expressions we've used.
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They're perfect for talking about comparison and self -growth in natural English.
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Keep up with the Joneses.
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It means...
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Try to match other people's lifestyle or success.
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For example, Don't buy things just to keep up with the Joneses.
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measure up.
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It means to feel as good or successful as someone else.
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Example.
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Emma thought she couldn't measure up to her friend's fluency.
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or You don't need to measure up to others to feel proud.
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The grass is greener on the other side.
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It means...
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Things seem better elsewhere.
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But they're not.
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For example, Brian said the grass isn't always greener.
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or You might think another job is perfect, but the grass is greener only until you get there.
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Run your own race.
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It means focus on your own goals and pace.
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For example, Brian decided to run his own race instead of copying other teachers.
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or In learning English, it's best to run your own race.
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stay in your lane it means focus on your area don't get distracted by others for example
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Emma improved faster once she stayed in her lane.
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or at work stay in your lane and do your best.
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keep your eyes on the prize it means stay focused on your goal For example, Jack kept his eyes on the prize, peace of mind.
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or, Keep your eyes on the prize.
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Clear communication, not perfection.
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All right, great job keeping up.
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In the next part, we'll talk about how to turn comparison into inspiration.
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and how seeing others succeed can actually help you grow.
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You know, there's something interesting about comparison.
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It's not always bad, if you use it the right way.
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What do you mean?
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Isn't comparison the main reason people feel miserable?
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Well, yes and no. Comparison can hurt when you use it to judge yourself.
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But if you look at others as inspiration instead of competition, it can actually help you grow.
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Yeah, that makes sense.
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Um, I used to get jealous when my friend got promoted.
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Now I try to take a leaf out of his book.
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I ask how he stays motivated, how he handles pressure.
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Instead of feeling small, I try to learn from him.
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I like that.
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I used to avoid watching fluent English speakers because they made me feel bad.
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But recently, I've started watching them to learn.
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I pay attention to their pronunciation, their rhythm.
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their confidence.
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It's like studying, not comparing.
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Exactly, Emma.
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That's the difference.
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You're shifting the focus from "they're better than me" to "what can I learn from them?"
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That's how you see the silver lining in comparison.
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So, you're saying it's okay to look up to others as long as it motivates you, not crushes you.
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Right.
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the key is your mindset.
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If someone's success makes you feel inspired, not defeated, that's healthy comparison.
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It pushes you to raise the bar.
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to expect more from yourself without self -blame.
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That's true.
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When I see my friends speaking English confidently, I tell myself, If they can do it, So can I.
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It gives me a boost instead of a headache.
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I've started applying that at work too.
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Instead of feeling jealous of my co -workers' presentation skills, I ask him for tips.
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Turns out, he practiced every day for a month before that big meeting.
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So yeah, success always has hard work behind it.
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Exactly.
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We often forget that we only see results, not effort.
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When you realize how much practice goes into success, it feels less like magic and more like something you can reach too.
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It's like we're all climbing our own mountains.
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Some people started earlier, some are higher up, but we're all still climbing.
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That's a beautiful way to put it.
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And you know what?
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Even if someone's ahead, it doesn't mean you're behind and I think this It just means you're on a different path.
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Yeah.
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I guess the goal isn't to be the best, it's to be better than yesterday.
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Absolutely.
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Learn from others, but don't let them define your worth.
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Use comparison as a mirror, not a measuring stick.
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I like that.
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A mirror reflects what you can improve, not what you lack.
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Exactly.
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That's when comparison turns into motivation, when you focus on what it can teach you, not what it takes from you.
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So, after everything we've talked about – comparison, growth, inspiration – how do you actually measure progress in real life?
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Hmm, good question.
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For me, progress isn't about how far I've gone, but how consistent I've been.
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Like, if I studied English for 20 minutes every day this week, That's success!
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I love that.
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I used to measure progress by big milestones: getting promoted, hitting targets.
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But now, I count the days I stayed disciplined.
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That's what really builds results.
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Exactly.
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I think too many people expect progress to be dramatic, like a big before and after story,
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but real progress is quiet, sometimes even invisible.
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It's in those moments you keep going when no one's watching.
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Totally.
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I remember last year when I almost gave up learning English because I felt stuck.
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But I decided to keep going.
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Little by Little.
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And one day, I realized I could understand movies without subtitles.
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That small step was huge for me.
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That's amazing, Emma.
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I had a similar moment when I finally finished a project that took months.
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It wasn't perfect, but I did it.
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And that felt good.
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You know what's interesting?
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Progress often feels boring while it's happening.
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You only notice it when you look back.
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that's why journaling tracking or even reflecting once a week helps you look back.
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and smile yeah i do that sometimes i reread old journal entries
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and laugh at how nervous I used to be about things that now seem easy.
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I take photos of my workspace every few months just to see how my habits change.
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It's weirdly motivating.
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That's a great idea.
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Progress doesn't always mean moving forward fast.
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Sometimes it means learning patience, trusting that small actions matter.
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You have to trust the process.
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That's my favourite phrase.
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Trust the process.
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Because sometimes you don't see the result right away, but that doesn't mean it's not working.
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Exactly, like when you go to the gym, you don't see results after one workout.
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But if you keep showing up, one day the change just appears.
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Right.
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Progress hides inconsistency.
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It's like water shaping rock.
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Slowly, quietly, but surely.
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Wow, that's poetic, Brian.
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Maybe a little.
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But it's true.
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The people who grow the most are often the ones who don't rush it.
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They focus on doing small things well.
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Yeah.
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I think the biggest sign of growth is peace.
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When you stop chasing everything and just appreciate the journey.
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Exactly.
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Success feels different when it's not about competition, but about becoming your best self.
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Beautifully said.
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So remember, every step counts.
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Even the ones that feel tiny.
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You're still moving.
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And if you ever feel behind, just look back at how far you've come.
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You'll realize that you've been growing the whole time.
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Exactly.
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That's what it means to stop comparing and start growing.
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Let's take a quick look at some of the great idioms and phrases we used in these last two parts,
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all about growth, learning and motivation.
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Take a leaf out of someone's book.
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It means: Learn from someone's example.
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For example: Jack took a leaf out of his friend's book and worked on his presentation skills.
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Oh.
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You can take a leaf out of successful people's books without comparing yourself.
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See the silver lining.
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It means find something positive in a negative situation.
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For example: Emma saw the silver lining.
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She used comparison to learn.
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or Even failure has a silver lining if you learn from it.
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raised the bar.
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It means set a higher standard for yourself.
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For example, Brian said healthy comparison helps you raise the bar or each project raises the bar for my next one.
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Look back and smile.
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It means reflect on your progress proudly.
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For example, Emma re -raid her journal and looked back and smiled.
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or, When you see how much you've grown, you can't help but look back and smile.
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Trust the process.
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It means believe that your effort will lead to results.
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For example, Jack kept working even when progress was slow.
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He trusted the process.
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or "Learning English takes time, trust the process".
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Every step counts.
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It means: Small actions add up over time.
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For example, Brian reminded everyone that every step counts or Even a five -minute study session matters.
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Every step counts.
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All right.
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That wraps up our main conversation for today.
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In the next part, I'll share a fun fact about how tracking progress can actually boost happiness.
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Stay with me.
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Before we wrap up, here's something fascinating.
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Did you know that researchers at Harvard found people who track their personal progress even in small ways,
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are up to 45 % happier and more motivated, It's true.
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When you write down what you've achieved, your brain releases dopamine,
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the feel -good chemical that helps you stay positive and keep going so it's not just about success It's about noticing success.
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That's why journaling, Keeping a progress jar or even saying I did my best today actually rewires your brain to stay motivated.
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So, the next time you feel like you're falling behind, grab a notebook and jot down one small win, it might change your entire mood.
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Pretty cool, right?
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Alright, let's take a moment to look back on what we've learned today.
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First we talked about the comparison trap.
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How easy it is to feel behind when you compare your life to others.
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Then, we explored how to focus on your own journey, using idioms like 'run your own race' and 'keep your eyes on the prize'.
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Next, we discovered that comparison isn't always bad.
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if you use it for inspiration not judgment.
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And finally, We learned that progress is built on small consistent steps,
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Trusting the process, celebrating wins and remembering that every step counts.
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So, take a moment tonight and think about one thing, big or small that you've improved this month.
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That's your real progress.
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That's your story.
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And that's it for today's episode of English on the Go.
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I hope today's talk reminded you to stop comparing and start appreciating how far you've come.
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Remember, everyone's journey is different.
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Focus on your lane.
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Trust the process and you'll keep growing at your own pace.
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Don't forget, you can download the free PDF vocabulary list for this episode.
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It includes all the idioms and key phrases we covered today, with examples to help you practice.
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If you enjoyed this episode, share it with a friend who might need a little motivation.
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and subscribe so you never miss a new one.
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Thanks for joining me.
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I'm Brian and this is English on the Go.
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where you learn everywhere and speak everywhere.
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See you next time.
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About This Lesson
In this lesson, learners will explore the topic of personal growth and self-comparison as discussed in the podcast episode titled "How to Stop Comparing and Start Growing." Through engaging conversations, learners will practice essential English skills, including listening comprehension and speaking through shadowing techniques. This episode highlights the importance of focusing on one’s individual journey and offers useful English expressions related to motivation and personal development. By the end of this lesson, you will have improved your speaking skills and developed a better understanding of how to navigate feelings of comparison.
Key Vocabulary & Phrases
- Comparison trap: The tendency to measure oneself against others.
- The grass is greener on the other side: An expression to imply that other situations often appear better than one’s own.
- Highlight reel: The best moments from someone's life, often showcased on social media.
- Keep up with the Joneses: The act of trying to match one's lifestyle to that of one's neighbors or peers.
- Everyone has weeds to pull: A metaphor suggesting that everyone faces their own struggles, even if they appear successful on the surface.
- Personal growth: The ongoing process of understanding and developing oneself to achieve one's fullest potential.
Practice Tips
To enhance your English speaking skills while exploring this episode, use the shadowing technique, where you mimic the speakers' words and intonation. When practicing with the podcast:
- Listen closely: Pay attention to the natural rhythm and tone of the hosts’ conversation as they discuss personal growth and comparison.
- Repeat and imitate: Use shadowspeak by repeating phrases immediately after hearing them, trying to match the speed and emotion of the speakers. This will help you improve English pronunciation and intonation.
- Slow it down: If the podcast feels too fast, use a shadowing site that allows you to adjust playback speed until you feel comfortable.
- Focus on context: Notice how the vocabulary is used in sentences. Contextualizing phrases like "comparison trap" and "keep up with the Joneses" will enhance comprehension.
- Practice regularly: Consistency is key! Integrate shadow speech into your daily routine to steadily build confidence in speaking.
By following these tips, you will not only grasp the key themes of the podcast but also develop your ability to communicate more effectively in English. Happy learning!
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| “Used to” used to + verb — a past habit or state that is no longer true | used to say · used to compare · used to get |
| Present perfect continuous have/has been + -ing — an action that started earlier and is still going on | I've been scrolling · you've been growing |
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | you've improved · we've come · you've already come |
| Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing | people who seem · friend who started · people who grow |
What is the Shadowing Technique?
Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.